Organic light emitting diode (oled) display apparatus having light sensing function

ABSTRACT

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus having an optical sensing function is provided. The OLED display apparatus may photograph an external object by sensing input light from the external object that passes through an imaging pattern included in a display panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/246,624 filed Aug. 29, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/296,795 filed Nov. 15, 2011, which claimsthe priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2011-0002291, filed on Jan. 10, 2011, in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated hereinby reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

One or more example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to anorganic light emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus that enables asensor panel to sense an external object by simultaneously displaying animage using a light emitter, and by passing input light from theexternal object through a transparent window and thereby, may take aphotograph.

2. Description of the Related Art

An OLED is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissiveelectroluminescent layer is a film of organic compounds which emit lightin response to an electric current. This layer of organic semiconductormaterial is situated between two electrodes.

OLEDs are used in television screens, computer monitors, small, portablesystem screens such as mobile phones and PDAs. OLEDs are also used inlarge-area light-emitting elements for general illumination.

Unlike an existing liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, an OLEDdisplay apparatus is self luminous and thus works without a backlight.Therefore, it can display deep black levels and can be thinner andlighter than an LCD. Accordingly, OLEDs have recently been the subjectof much interest.

SUMMARY

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing an organiclight emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus having a light sensingfunction, comprising: a display panel comprising an imaging patternformed with a plurality of OLED pixels; and a sensor panel to senseinput light from an external object, the light passing through theimaging pattern.

The display panel may form the imaging pattern by arranging each of theplurality of OLED pixels based on transparency level of a windowincluded in a corresponding OLED pixel.

The display panel may form the imaging pattern to be in one of acircular hole, a polygonal hole, and a modified uniformly redundantarray (MURA) by combining a first OLED pixel comprising an opaque windowwith a second OLED pixel comprising a transparent window.

The OLED display apparatus may further include an infrared ray lightsource to emit an infrared ray towards the external object; and a passfilter to extract an infrared component from the input light comprisingthe infrared ray returned from the external object. The sensor panel maysense the infrared component.

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing an organiclight emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus having a light sensingfunction. The apparatus includes a display panel comprising an imagingpattern formed with a plurality of OLED pixels, and a sensor paneldisposed behind the display panel and comprising at least one sensor tosense light that has passed through the imaging pattern.

Additional aspects of embodiments will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows and, in part, will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of embodiments, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an organic light emitting diode(OLED) display apparatus having a light sensing function according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates OLED pixels according to example embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates an imaging pattern of a display panel included in anOLED display apparatus having a light sensing function according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates an imaging pattern of a display panel included in anOLED display apparatus having a light sensing function according toother example embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of an OLED display apparatus having alight sensing function according to other example embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates an OLED pixel including an infrared ray (IR) lightsource according to example embodiments; and

FIG. 7 illustrates an OLED pixel including a pass filter according toexample embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals refer to the like elements throughout. Embodiments aredescribed below to explain the present disclosure by referring to thefigures.

The term “organic light emitting diode (OLED)” used throughout thepresent specification denotes a self-luminous element that is differentfrom a general liquid crystal display (LCD) emitting light by abacklight. In general, compared to the LCD, the OLED may have relativelyexcellent color definition, and optical viewing angle, a quick responsespeed, low power, slimness, and the like. Following the LCD, a plasmadisplay panel (PDP), and the like, the OLED has been receiving attentionas a next generation display. In particular, proposed herein is adisplay apparatus that may simultaneously realize displaying of an imageand recognizing a space touch of a user, for example recognizing amovement within a 3-dimensional (3D) space, by providing a pixel furtherincluding a window to pass input light from an external object whiledisplaying the image using the OLED.

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an OLED display apparatus 101having a light sensing function according to example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the OLED display apparatus 101 having the lightsensing function may include, for example, a display panel 103 and asensor panel 105.

The display panel 103 may include an imaging pattern formed with aplurality of OLED pixels. For example, the display panel 103 may providean environment for photographing an external object by including theimaging pattern formed with the plurality of OLED pixels, and by passinginput light from the external object through the imaging pattern.Referring to FIG. 1, the display panel 103 may be located directly aboveor on top of the sensor panel 105 such as in a stacked configuration.

The display panel 103 may display a general image using an OLED, and mayalso pass the light input from the external object through the imagingpattern without having to separately switching a mode based on a timedivision that is formed and combined based on a transparency adjustmentof a window included in each of the OLED pixels.

When forming the imaging pattern, the display panel 103 may form variousshapes of imaging patterns by combining a first OLED pixel including anopaque window with a second OLED pixel including a transparent window.

For example, the display panel 103 may form a pattern for passing theinput light, for example the imaging pattern with a circular hole, byadjusting the opaque window within the first OLED pixel to be opaque,and by adjusting the transparent window within the second OLED pixel tobe transparent.

Similarly, the display panel 103 may form the imaging pattern in avariety of shapes, for example, the circular hole, a polygonal hole, amodified uniformly redundant array (MURA), and the like, byappropriately adjusting and combining a transparency level of the windowincluded in each of the first OLED pixel and the second OLED pixel.

The display panel 103 may form various shapes of imaging patterns bychanging a quantity of OLED pixels or positions of the OLED pixels andby arranging the plurality of OLED pixels based on a transparency of awindow included in each OLED pixel. For example, the display panel 103may form a plurality of imaging patterns based on an externalenvironment where light enters, and may change a number of imagingpatterns or positions of imaging patterns based on a predeterminedperiod. For example, the display panel 103 may repeatedly form theplurality of imaging patterns with respect to a horizontal direction ora vertical direction.

A function of the display panel 103 to display an image will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates OLED pixels according to example embodiments.

Without using a separate backlight, the display panel 103 may include aplurality of OLED pixels and display an image through self-luminescence.In this example, displaying of the image on the display panel 103 may besimultaneously performed with the passing of input light using animaging pattern and photographing, that is, with the sensing of anexternal object.

Referring to FIG. 2, each of the OLED pixels may include, for example, alight emitter to emit one of a red light, a green light, and a bluelight using a luminous organic material, a circuit unit to drive thelight emitter, and a window, for example, a glass substrate to pass orblock the input light. When the window is formed to be transparent, thewindow may pass the light input from the outside, such as lightreflected by an external object. When the window is formed to be opaque,the window may block the input light from the outside.

For example, a first OLED pixel 201 may include a light emitter 203 toemit light and to display an image such as a broadcast image, a circuitunit 205 to drive the light emitter 203, and an opaque window 207 toblock the input light from the outside. A second OLED pixel 211 may beconfigured to be similar to the first OLED pixel 201, or may beconfigured to include a light emitter 213, a circuit unit 215, and atransparent window 217 to pass the input light from the outside as is.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the sensor panel 105 may photograph theexternal object by sensing the input light from the external objectpassing through the imaging pattern included in the display panel 103,and by obtaining image data associated with the external object. In thisexample, it is possible to stabilize the quality of image data obtainedat the sensor panel 103 by maintaining the whole transparency level ofthe imaging patterns included in the display panel 103 to be apredetermined level.

The sensor panel 105 may be disposed at a rear end of the display panel103 or below the display panel 103 to sense the light that is input fromthe external object and that passes through the display apparatus 103 ata predetermined transparency level, and to obtain image data associatedwith the external object.

For example, the sensor panel 105 may sense the input light passingthrough the window by configuring a sensor unit and an aperture to be ina form of a grid pattern or in a form of a repeating pattern. The sensorunit may sense the input light and the aperture may pass the inputlight. The sensor panel 105 may further include a color filter to obtainimage data corresponding to a color of the color filter.

According to an embodiment, an OLED display apparatus having a lightsensing function may display an image and photograph an external object,for example at the same time or substantially the same time, bysimultaneously processing displaying of the image using a light emitterand sensing of input light from an external object passing through animaging pattern included in a display panel.

In addition, the OLED display apparatus having the light sensingfunction may be used in a variety of fields such as proximity sensing,gesture recognition, photography, by simultaneously providing an imagedisplay function and an external object photographing function.

For example, when displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image, the OLEDdisplay apparatus having the light sensing function may photograph theexternal object and obtain a distance between the OLED display apparatusand the external object, or position information of the OLED displayapparatus and the external object. Accordingly, the OLED displayapparatus may readily recognize a gesture and readily sense amanipulation on a 3D image appearing to be positioned outside the OLEDdisplay apparatus, for example, outside a screen.

When the OLED display apparatus having the light sensing function isapplied to a terminal supporting a video call, an image displayingposition and an external object photographing position may match andthus, a user may make a video call while viewing a face of a counterparty, that is, the party being called.

When the OLED display apparatus having the light sensing function isapplied to a relatively large screen, for example, a smart window, auser may recognize a minute motion of a counter party by obtaining adistance of the counter party from the screen or position informationusing an image of the counter party. Accordingly, the user may perceivethe user as if the user were present in the same space as the counterparty.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the OLED display apparatus 101 may recognizea movement of the external object within a predetermined space based ona change in a position where the input light is sensed. For example,when a user touches a space, the OLED display apparatus may verify amovement of the user within the space, for example, a drag and the like.For the above operation, virtual coordinates may be set at each imagingpattern or hole included in the display panel 103. The sensor panel 105may identify coordinates of a hole passed by each of input lights sensedat predetermined time intervals with respect to the same externalobject, and may verify the movement of the external object within thespace.

For example, with respect to 16 holes within the imaging pattern of FIG.1, the display panel 103 may sequentially set coordinates of the holesfrom hole A with coordinates (1,1) to hole B with coordinates (4, 4).When a plurality of input lights with respect to the external objectsequentially passes through the hole A and the hole B at predeterminedtime intervals, the sensor panel 105 may sense that the external objecthas moved from coordinates (1, 1) to coordinates (4, 4).

The OLED display apparatus 101 may verify a space touch of the externalobject by combining sensing results with respect to one or more holeswithin the imaging pattern.

For example, when 16 holes are arranged within the imaging pattern asshown in FIG. 1, a sensing result at the sensor panel 105 associatedwith each of 16 holes with respect to the external object may bedifferent based on a position relationship between a corresponding holeand the external object, an incident angle of related input light, andthe like. Accordingly, the sensor panel 105 may accurately recognize aposition of the external object within the space, that is, a form of thespace touch by combining sensing results of 16 holes.

The sensor panel 105 may sense the position of the external objectwithin the space based on an aspect that a sensing result of input lightwith respect to the external object is slightly different based on anarrangement position of each hole.

A model of calculating a position of an external object within a spaceusing a plurality of different sensing results is disclosed in “BiDiScreen: Depth and Lighting Aware Interaction and Display,” by MatthewHirsch, Douglas Lanman, Ramesh Raskar, and Henry Holtzman, inProceedings of SIGGRAPH ASIA December 2009, which is herein incorporatedby reference in its entirety. Detailed descriptions related thereto willbe omitted here.

The OLED display apparatus 101 may more accurately verify a movement ofa drag, such as a drag of an object across the display, and the likewithin the space after the space touch by combining sensing results ofholes within the imaging pattern with respect to the external object atpredetermined time intervals, and by using the combined sensing results.

For example, when 16 holes are arranged in the imaging pattern as shownin FIG. 1, the OLED display apparatus 101 may induce a movement startposition of the external object within the space based on a combinationof sensing results at the sensor panel 105 associated with the 16 holesat a point in time T1. Similarly, at a point in time T2, the OLEDdisplay apparatus 101 may induce a movement end position within thespace based on the combination of sensing results at the sensor panel105 associated with the 16 holes.

That is, the OLED display apparatus 101 may verify a position of theexternal object within the space, for example, coordinates (1, 1) at thepoint in time T1 and a position of the external object within the space,for example, coordinates (4, 4) at the point in time T2 that is a pointin time after a predetermined amount of time is elapsed from the pointin time T1, and may sense that the external object has moved fromcoordinates (1, 1) to coordinates (4, 4).

Accordingly, the OLED display apparatus 101 may accurately verify amovement of the external object within the space based on a change inthe movement start position of the object and the movement end positionof the object within the space.

FIG. 3 illustrates an imaging pattern of a display panel 301 included inan OLED display apparatus having a light sensing function according toexample embodiments.

As described above, the display panel 301 may form the imaging patternto be in one of a circular hole, a polygonal hole, and a MURA hole, byarranging and combining a plurality of OLED pixels based on atransparency level of a window included in each OLED pixel.

Referring to FIG. 3, the display panel 301 may include the imagingpattern formed with the plurality of OLED pixels, and may pass inputlight from an external object through the imaging pattern.

The display panel 301 may form, as the imaging pattern for passing thelight, a pattern 303 including a circular hole. However, it is only anexample and thus, a pattern 305 including a polygonal hole or a pattern307 including a MURA may be formed.

FIG. 4 illustrates an imaging pattern of a display panel included in anOLED display apparatus having a light sensing function according toother example embodiments.

Accordingly, the OLED display apparatus may pass a plurality of inputlights from the external object using the display panel formed with aplurality of imaging patterns, and may sense the plurality of inputlights using a sensor panel. Thus, it is possible to obtain the effectof photographing the external object using a plurality of cameras.

FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of an OLED display apparatus 501having a light sensing function according to other example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 5, the OLED display apparatus 501 may further includea pass filter 505 in addition to a display panel 503 and a sensor panel507.

As described above, the display panel 503 may include an imaging patternformed with a plurality of OLED pixels, and may pass input light, forexample, sunlight from an external object through the imaging pattern.

The input light may include an infrared ray (IR) reflected from theexternal object. For the above operation, the OLED display apparatus 501may further include an IR light source being disposed in one portion ofthe display panel 503 to emit the IR towards the external object.Accordingly, the OLED display apparatus 501 may sense a relatively largeamount of infrared components from the input light and thus, may obtaincleaner image data with respect to the external object.

The IR emitted from the IR light source may be returned from theexternal object and be input into the display panel 503 as the inputlight. The display panel 503 may transfer the input light to the passfilter 505 disposed at a rear end such as a rear face or back surface ofthe display panel 503, through the imaging pattern.

The pass filter 505 (hereinafter, a first pass filter) may be disposedbetween the display panel 503 and the sensor panel 507, for example in asandwich-like configuration, to extract an infrared component from theinput light passing through the imaging pattern of the display panel503.

The sensor panel 507 disposed at the rear end of the first pass filtermay generate image data by sensing the extracted infrared component andphotographing the external object, for example, a space touch.

The IR light source may be included in an OLED pixel as an internalconfiguration. In this example, an infrared component may be extractedfrom the input light including an IR returned from the external objectby the pass filter 505 (hereinafter, a second pass filter) included inthe OLED pixel as the internal configuration.

The pass filter 505 functioning as the second pass filter may extractthe infrared component from the input light from the external object,and transfer the extracted infrared component to the imaging pattern ofthe display panel 503.

The sensor panel 507 positioned at the rear end of the display panel 503may sense the infrared component passing through the imaging pattern ofthe display panel 503. A ray, for example, a visible ray excluding theinfrared ray included in the input light may be blocked by the passfilter 505 and thus, the sensor panel 507 may obtain image data withrespect to the external object using only the sensed infrared component.Accordingly, it is possible to decrease noise in the image.

FIG. 6 illustrates an OLED pixel 601 including an IR light sourceaccording to example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 6, the OLED pixel 601 may include a light emitter 603,a circuit unit 605 to drive the light emitter 603, and a window 607, forexample, a glass substrate, to alternatively pass or block light from anoutside. The light emitter 603 may include red light R, green light G,blue light B, and an IR light source IR to emit an IR towards anexternal object.

Accordingly, the OLED pixel 601 may display an image by one of or acombination of the red light R, the green light G, and the blue light B.Also, the OLED pixel 601 may pass the input light including the IRthrough an imaging pattern configured as a transparency adjustablewindow, thereby enabling a pass filter and a sensor panel to sense theexternal object using an infrared component.

The IR light source IR may be included in the OLED pixel 601. However,it is only an example and thus, may also be included in a case, forexample, a bezel of the OLED display apparatus 601.

FIG. 7 illustrates an OLED pixel 701 including a pass filter accordingto example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 7, the OLED pixel 701 may include a light emitter 703to emit one of red light R, green light G, and blue light B using aluminous organic material, a circuit unit 705 to drive the light emitter703, and a window 707, for example, a glass substrate to alternativelypass or block input light from an outside. The OLED pixel 701 mayfurther include, in an upper portion or a lower portion of the window707, a second pass filter to extract an infrared component.

According to an embodiment, an OLED display apparatus having a lightsensing function may photograph an external object using IR by sensingan infrared component from the external object passing through animaging pattern included in a display panel, using an IR light source toemit the IR towards the external object and a pass filter to extract theinfrared component.

According to an embodiment, an OLED display apparatus having a lightsensing apparatus may display an image by transferring input light froman external object to a sensor panel through adjustment of atransparency with respect to a window included in an OLED pixel. Also,the OLED display apparatus may photograph the external object withoutswitching an apparatus mode. That is, the OLED display apparatus mayalso sense a space touch.

According to an embodiment, an OLED display apparatus having a lightsensing function may photograph an external object in conjunction withthe displaying of an image by simultaneously processing displaying ofthe image using a light emitter and sensing of input light from theexternal object passing through an imaging pattern included in a displaypanel.

According to an embodiment, an OLED display apparatus having a lightsensing function may accurately sense an external object without noiseby employing an IR light source to emit IR towards the external objectand a pass filter to extract, from the input light, an infraredcomponent associated with the IR.

Although embodiments have been shown and described, it would beappreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made inthese embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit ofthe disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a display comprising aplurality of pixels, wherein a pixel among the plurality of pixelscomprises a light emitter and a window, the light emitter is configuredto emit a light toward a first surface of the display, and the window isconfigured to pass at least part of the light reflected by an externalobject toward a second surface of the display opposite to the firstsurface; and a sensor formed at or below the second surface of thedisplay and configured to sense the at least part of the light reflectedby the external object.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lightemitter comprises an infra-red (IR) light source.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the light emitter further comprises a red light source,a green light source, or a blue light source.
 4. The apparatus of claim3, wherein the red light source, the green light source, or the bluelight source comprises a luminous organic material.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the window is transparent.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the window comprises a glass substrate.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising a pass filter disposed in the window andconfigured to extract a specified light component from the at least partof the light.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is furtherconfigured to: perform the sensing of the at least part of the lightwhile an image is displayed via the display.
 9. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the sensor further comprises a color filter configured to beused to obtain image data corresponding to the external object based atleast in part on the at least part of the light.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the sensor is further configured to: generate an imagecorresponding to the external object based at least in part on the imagedata.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is furtherconfigured to: sense any one or any combination of two or more of aproximity, a movement, a gesture, a distance, a position, and an imageof the external object with respect to the display.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the pixel further comprises a circuit configured todrive the light emitter.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein anotherpixel among the plurality of pixels comprises another window configuredto block another portion of the light reflected by the external object.14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the other window is opaque. 15.The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the window of the pixel and the otherwindow of the other pixel together form an imaging pattern.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 15, wherein the imaging pattern comprises a circularhole, a polygonal hole, or a modified uniformly redundant array.
 17. Anapparatus comprising: a case forming at least part of an outer surfaceof the apparatus; a light emitter at least partially housed in the caseand configured to emit a light; a display at least partially housed inthe case and comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein a pixel among theplurality of pixels comprises a window configured to pass at least partof the light reflected by an external object; and a sensor formed at arear end or below the display and configured to sense the at least partof the light reflected by the external object.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the light emitter comprises an infra-red (IR) lightsource.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the light emitter furthercomprises a red light source, a green light source, or a blue lightsource.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least part of the caseforms a bezel of the apparatus, and wherein the light emitter is housedin an area below the bezel.
 21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein thewindow is transparent.
 22. An apparatus comprising: a display comprisinga first pixel and a second pixel, wherein the first pixel comprises afirst light emitter and a first window, the second pixel comprises asecond light emitter and a second window, each of the first lightemitter and the second light emitter is configured to emit a lighttoward a first surface of the display, the first window is configured topass at least part of the light reflected by an external object toward asecond surface of the display opposite to the first surface, and thesecond window is configured to block another part of the light reflectedby the external object; and a sensor formed at or below the secondsurface of the display and configured to sense the at least part of thelight reflected by the external object.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22,wherein the first window is transparent, and the second window isopaque.
 24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first windowcorresponds to first transparency, and the second window corresponds tosecond transparency.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the firstand second windows together form at least one portion of an imagingpattern.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first pixel furthercomprises a first circuit configured to drive the first light emitter,and the second pixel further comprises a second circuit configured todrive the second light emitter, and wherein the first circuit or thesecond circuit is adapted to adjust transparency of a correspondingwindow among the first window and the second window to change theimaging pattern.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sensor isfurther configured to: perform, based at least in part on the at leastpart of the light, any one or any combination of two or more ofproximity sensing, gesture recognition, photography, distance sensing,position sensing, manipulation 3D image, and movement sensing.
 28. Anapparatus comprising: a display comprising a first set of lightemitters, a second set of light emitters, and a light passing areadisposed between the first set of light emitters and the second set oflight emitters, wherein each of the first set of light emitters and thesecond set of light emitters is configured to emit a light toward afirst surface of the display, and the light passing area is configuredto pass at least part of the light reflected by an external objecttoward a second surface of the display opposite to the first surface;and a sensor formed at or below the second surface of the display andconfigured to sense the at least part of the light reflected by theexternal object.
 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first set oflight emitters or the second set of light emitters comprises aninfra-red (IR) light source.
 30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein thefirst set of light emitters or the second set of light emitters furthercomprises a red light source, a green light source, or a blue lightsource.